“The conversations are exasperated, the verdicts swift, conclusive and seemingly absolute. The goal is to protect and condemn work, not for its quality, per se, but for its values. Is this art or artist, this character, this joke bad for women, gays, trans people, nonwhites? Are the casts diverse enough? Is this museum show inclusive of enough different kinds of artists? Does the race of the curators correspond with the subject of the show or collection? Increasingly, these questions stand in for a discussion of the art itself.” — Wesley Morris, in an article titled The Morality Wars in the NY Times Magazine, Oct. 3, 2018

“But criticism isn’t about saying what’s bad — well, not only. It’s partly about situating a work in the world, in your feelings, in your collection.” — Wesley Morris, ibid.

“There are as many photographs possible from a single negative as the artist can imagine. I can never bear to finish with a negative, to say, ‘This is it.’ Tomorrow I can come and make new pictures from that negative. This is the thing I love most of all: the making of the final picture. No one else can do that for me, nor do I ever completely satisfy myself.” – Nell Dorr

“. . . what we hope for from the artist is help in discovering the significance of a place.” — Robert Adams in Beauty in Photography

“. . . there is an incredible hunger to make and share images. . . . knowing how to use a complicated camera no longer serves as a barrier to creating those images.” — David duChemin in The Soul of the Camera

“I impose the way that I see, the way that I feel, the way that I connect on the landscape.” — Michael Kenna

“‘You’re doing it wrong’
But at least you’re doing it.
Once you’re doing it, you have a chance to do it better.
Waiting for perfect means not starting.” — Posted by Seth Godin on October 02, 2017

“I am steadily surprised that there are so many photographers that reject manipulating reality, as if that was wrong. Change reality! If you don’t find it, invent it!” – Pete Turner

“You know, I really don’t think you learn from teachers. You learn from work. I think what you learn, really, is how to be- you have to be your own toughest critic, and you only learn that from work, from seeing work.” – Garry Winogrand

There is a difference of opinion on the two images below. Both were taken at Lake Roland Park with a yellow filter on a 105/2.8 lens. The first may have a greater sense of depth because of the sharp fence, but the out of focus dam in the background creates some room for interpretation. The second has more interesting lighting and perhaps better balance and composition. Which do you prefer and why?

“Inspiring photographs…
– Can teach you a lot about photography.
– Can expose you to new techniques and photographers.
– Can provide great fodder for online sharining.
– Can be the ultimate creativity-killing distraction.” — CJ Chilvers in A Lesser Photographer

“Technique and gear seem insignificant if you have a message.” — CJ Chilvers in A Lesser Photographer

“The best critiques I’ve seen are not about the image’s technical properties.
The best critiques question why the photograph was created in the first place.” — CJ Chilvers in A Lesser Photographer